Africa

Focus Areas

Sector Development

We fund and implement programmes that aim to transform the performance of key sectors in East Africa by tackling both immediate constraints and long-term structural challenges. Ultimately we look to build competitive and profitable sectors with the mechanisms to adapt to future circumstances, ensuring sustainable growth while creating jobs and raising incomes.

Gatsby has worked in Africa since 1985 with the overall objective of creating jobs and improving incomes for poor people. In recent years we have evolved significantly, with our focus, level of ambition and operating model all changing.

We have changed from being mostly a funding organisation into one that designs and implements programmes which aim to transform the economic performance of entire sectors - such as cotton - through a holistic approach which involves identifying and addressing constraints along the whole value chain, across supportive markets and within the surrounding policy environment.

We target sectors with the potential to be competitive, where growth will benefit large numbers of people, and where there is a strong opportunity for us to facilitate change by engaging political leaders, relevant public institutions and key private sector players.

In all our programmes we look to tackle both immediate constraints to growth and long-term structural challenges. Ultimately we aim to build competitive and profitable sectors with the institutions, incentives and capabilities in place to adapt to any changes in future circumstances and ensure continued, long-term growth that will create jobs and raise incomes.

Video - Gatsby's Approach to Sector Development

This video sets out the thinking behind Gatsby's sector programmes, explaining our approach and exploring what is needed to make it work:

Interview

To learn more about our evolving approach, download an interview with Gatsby's Executive Director of Africa Programmes by clicking here.